Wilberforce gymnastics head coach Morgan Byrd resigns, effective immediately

Wilberforce Athletics announced Wednesday that Wilberforce gymnastics head coach Dr. Morgan Byrd is stepping down after two years leading the program, effective immediately.

According to the university, Byrd is pursuing advanced clinical training through a physical therapy fellowship and residency.

The change in leadership comes after a program record-shattering year for the Wilberforce Bulldogs – the sole HBCU gymnastics team in the country after Fisk ended its program this spring.

This season, Wilberforce set a program-record 186.075 at the HBCU Classic in March. Diamond Cook has headlined the team the past two seasons, becoming a two-time All-American – the program’s first gymnast to earn the moniker.

The search now begins for Wilberforce to find a replacement coach before the team’s third season, and it seems the Bulldogs plan to hire from within.

Sources tell Gymnastics Now that assistant coach Alaska Richardson is expected to be promoted to head coach for the upcoming 2026-2027 season.

A volunteer assistant coach for the past two years, Richardson has focused on vault and floor for the Bulldogs.

While Wilberforce is the only active HBCU program right now, the Bulldogs’ program seems to be safe for now.

Last year, after it was announced that the Fisk team would be discontinued, Wilberforce University President Vann Newkirk assured students and staff that “gymnastics is here to stay” and will continue to be funded.